The Register is reporting that the UK government has ruled that intelligent design is not acceptable in science classes. [via Slashdot]
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John Wilkins is an aged, eternal student, who thinks philosophy of biology is at least as interesting as politics or sport and twice as important. He has a PhD from the University of Melbourne and a position as a Postdoctoral Fellow Sessional Lecturer at the University of Queensland, in Australia. After a varied career, involving factories, gardening, civil service, publishing, graphics, public relations but not, unfortunately for the CV, driving a truck, John finally completed his thesis on species concepts in 2004, which he has worked into two books. Species Definitions: A Sourcebook (Peter Lang) will come out in 2008; Species: A History of an Idea (University of California Press) will appear, it is hoped, in early 2009. He is also interested in cultural evolution, philosophy of religion, Macintosh computers and his kids.
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« Lewes on Heredity, in 1856 | Main | Where's Wilkins? »
ID not OK in UK
Category: Creationism • Design • Evolution • General Science • Politics • Social evolution
Posted on: June 26, 2007 1:11 AM, by John S. Wilkins
Comments
The British are unique in their irrationality. The same people who can be so sensible about things like evolution can still go gaga over reported ghost sightings.
Posted by: Alan Kellogg | June 26, 2007 2:30 AM
Of course we are, we're British!
Posted by: Thony C. | June 26, 2007 2:51 AM
"In their rationality, all nations are alike. In their irrationality, all nations are unique." Comment.
Posted by: csrster | June 26, 2007 4:18 AM
It's simple really; we know the difference between science and religion plus we love a mystery.
Posted by: Chris' Wills | June 26, 2007 5:58 AM
It's not just the UK that is not seduced by the hokum of ID or creationism; the Council of Europe has a strong document saying that creationism is dangerous in education:
http://assembly.coe.int/main.asp?Link=/documents/workingdocs/doc07/edoc11297.htm
Although the Christian creationism movement looks strong in the US (and possibly Australia too), I think Americans often don't understand how little impact it has had in post-Reformation Europe; people just don't buy it and don't buy literalist worship of the Bible.
The Council of Europe document recognises the dangers inherent in letting Islamic creationism take root too. In the UK, Islamic "faith schools" are a worrying trend in promoting irrationality. We need to be vigilant, but we don't need to be paranoid!
Posted by: Sam the Centipede | June 26, 2007 7:05 AM
I would imagine that in Europe Islamic creationism, as part of a trend towards the isolation and Islamistization of European Muslims must be a prime concern, and that by giving Creationism as a general claim the boot from schools, they tidily get rid of a few local loons, as well as justifying putting a stop to a much more troubling trend.
But don't for a moment forget that there is a small but often vocal English ultraconservative community which isn't all that different from the sort to be found in the US. They have tacit allies among the more mainstream British conservatives, who now seem on a quest to undermine British public education. The Telegraph's editorial section usually has one of these types at least once a week.
Posted by: Aaron Clausen | June 26, 2007 2:41 PM